[MLS SPOTLIGHT] Sporting Kansas City is living up to predictions that it will win the Eastern Conference and challenge for the league title, but the defendingMLS Cup champion Galaxy has sunk to the bottom of the Western Conference. There’s a lot to ponder as the first calendar month of MLS play concludes, and here are some of the more compellingstorylines:
NEW KINGS IN KANSAS CITY? The popular choice to top the Eastern Conference is in that very spot with the league’s best record at 4-0-0.
C.J.Sapong, the 2011 Rookie of the Year, is so far resisting any sophomore jinx. He got the only goal SKC needed to down Chivas USA, 1-0, at Home Depot Center Sunday night. SKC overran Chivas USA for muchof the game and amassed a 20-6 edge in shots, though a Nick LaBrocca shot rang off the post in the 54th minute, seven minutes after Sapong scored his third goal of 2012.
Sapong tallied after Graham Zusi hustled after his own shot off the crossbar and bumped through Chivas USA defender Heath Pearce to head it to Sapong, who nodded itinto the net. SKC has conceded only one goal in four games, a stat reminiscent of how the 2011 champion rolled to its title.
GALAXY IN CHASE MODE. The defending champion,expected to lead the Supporters’ Shield race as it did last year, is instead way back in the pack and riddled by defensive miscues.
Apparently, that season-opening 3-1 thumping byReal Salt Lake at Home Depot Center wasn’t an aberration. The Revs came west to post the same scoreline Saturday, blasting out to a 2-0 lead with goals in the 10th and 13th minutes to drop theGalaxy into a hole it scratched futilely to escape.
There are still seven months of season to be played, but the Galaxy’s attempts to replace Defender of the Year OmarGonzalez and regain last year’s defensive resilience — not to mention near-invincibility at home — are faltering. Another night of bad breaks impacted the result and had either one ofDavid Beckham’s first-half free kicks that struck the woodwork gone into the net, LA might have reversed the momentum. Instead, by the time Robbie Keane scoredin the 78th minute, the game was long gone.
Keane’s goal, his third of the season, contrasted sharply with Edson Buddle’s finishing. He shanked two shots fromgood spots. Deprived of Landon Donovan, who was bothered by tightness in his quads, the attack sputtered and though better in the second half seldom tested Revs keeper MattReis.
Also missing were those Donovan slaloms up the wings the Galaxy often uses to relieve pressure by knocking balls into his path. As a result, opponents are piling heavierpressure on the Galaxy, which can’t rely on Gonzalez bailing out dire situations with powerful tackles or howitzer headers.
The loss dropped LA (1-2-0) to the bottom of the WesternConference, which is led by Real Salt Lake, San Jose, and Colorado at 3-1-0.
‘CAPS CLOSING IT DOWN. As bad as the Whitecaps’ performed defensively last seasonduring their MLS debut campaign, they are nearing a record for stinginess in year two. They are also right behind the Western leaders at 2-0-2.
A 0-0 tie at Philadelphia Saturday extendedVancouver’s goalless streak to 360 minutes, as in every minute it’s played since the season started. It passed Seattle, which posted 350 shutout minutes to start its own MLS existence in 2009.The all-time record, strangely enough, is held by the 2007 Red Bulls, which opened with 421 scoreless minutes en route to a 12-11-7 finish and 45 goals conceded.
The Whitecaps are gettingit done through solid showings in all defensive departments. Keeper Joe Cannon has twice won the MLS Save of the Week honor, and backup Brad Knighton stepped incapably when a quadriceps injury forced Cannon out of the lineup during a 1-0 defeat of Chivas USA at Home Depot Center March 18.
Defender Jay DeMerit won that game withhis first goal since signing with MLS prior to the 2011 season, which turned out to be a rough one for both the ‘Caps and their captain. As the ‘Caps labored to match the aggression andintensity of MLS, DeMerit struggled through injuries and sharp lapses in form as he too adjusted to a new environment.
Paired this season with Argentine newcomer MartinBonjour, DeMerit is stabilizing the back line with his experience and leadership. So far, South Korean international Young-Pyo Lee has been a speedy, skilled upgrade at rightback. There have been a few breaks, too; in the tie at PPL Park, a Carlos Valdes shot came back off the upright, and Cannon easily snagged a scuffed Brian Carrollattempt from point-blank range.
Tested by a tougher shot from Keon Daniel, Cannon turned it away to keep the ‘Caps on course for a league record. Their chance to setthat mark comes Saturday at San Jose, which left Cannon exposed in the Expansion Draft 17 months ago.
NEW WAY IN SAN JOSE. The Quakes are also among the early-seasonsurprises; they upended the Sounders, 1-0, Saturday with a Chris Wondolowski penalty kick and are 2-0 on the road (at Seattle and Toronto) after winning just three of 17 away fromhome in 2011.
As he did last year, keeper Jon Busch is stoning the opposition with big saves, yet he’s being called upon less often. Newcomer VictorBernardez is emerging as a tough, reliable centerback, and Sam Cronin is tearing into tackles and spraying smart passes as the hub of a slicker, quicker midfield feeding onthe energy of Rafael Baca, Marvin Chavez and Shea Salinas.
The always-moving, ever-dangerous Wondo and bruising battler StevenLenhart are really starting to annoy opposing defenses. Lenhart tumbled rather easily to draw the penalty kick Wondolowski converted and later took a caution in the 64th minute fortime-wasting.
THREES WILD FOR RSL AND RED BULLS. Thierry Henry hit a hat trick and RSL coach Jason Kreis used a trio of substitutes as theRed Bulls and Real Salt Lake, respectively, logged impressive wins.
Henry’s second three-goal game in his MLS career swept away Montreal, 5-2, at Red Bull Arena. He also earned anassist by nicking a centering pass from Jan Gunnar Solli that Mehdi Ballouchy poked into the net as New York reacted assertively to the absence of LukeRodgers, whose failure to secure a renewed work visa will keep him overseas for a few months at least.
RSL struck twice in the final minutes to stun Portland, 3-2. Trailing theTimbers, 2-1, on a pair of spectacular goals by Darlington Nagbe that triggered a thunderous atmosphere at Jeld-Wen Field, Kreis brought on Fabian Espindola andJonny Steele. Along with earlier substitution Will Johnson, they overturned the scoreline with two very late goals.
Steele, an offseason signing making histhird MLS appearance, equalized from a Johnson pass in the 89th minute. Three minutes into stoppage time, as Kyle Beckerman called for the ball, Espindola flicked a lob from the leftside of the penalty area, and the RSL captain darted forward to steer a first-time shot inside the post.